A pioneer of dub music and progenitor of lovers rock, Dennis Bovell dips into his endless record archive to produce Sufferer Sounds, a compilation of tracks from his esteemed catalogue created between 1976 and 1980. A vocational love for his craft has compelled him to unearth deep cuts and lesser-known versions of his soul-stirring discography. It’s all been restored and remastered at Dubplates and Mastering in Berlin, reinvigorating the seeds of a production genius.
Sufferer Sounds is a compilation that deserves to be booming from a sound system to gain true appreciation of the reverb, echo and especially the rhythm section on each of the fifteen tracks. It is a testament to the legacy of Black British music that has evolved to what it is today.
‘Dub Land’ is the eclectic curtain-raiser that has you swaying where you sit (or stand) by way of a rhythm section filled with timely guitar strums, keyboard synths and rhythmic reverb that elegantly transport you under the dancing strobe lights of a club. It is a feel-good track – especially given its bass-heavy riddim that nigh on acts like a defibrillator jumping you into action.
‘Blood Dem’ is striking, with the haunting yet harmonious repetition of “run” which has explicit links to Afrofuturism. Its fragmented reverb and faded echo intercept lyrics that convey both the traumatic displacement of diaspora peoples but also carry an essence of the intergalactic. “Going back to Zion one day, makes no difference if you change my name” suggests the countries of the African diaspora as a liminal space of uncertainty. ‘Blood Dem’’s collage of sounds juxtapose one another brilliantly, led by a dynamically prominent bassline (brilliantly enhanced by the recent remastering).
‘Suffrah Dub (Sufferer Sound Disco 45)’ and ‘Compelled’ both bring forth a triumphant horn section that buoyantly blares, beckoning the listener to be immersed in the world of dub. Sufferer Sounds is a special time capsule of the late-1970s, preserving a history so integral to Black British music with songs that joyously graced many a household but also expressed a defiance against a society littered with racism and police corruption – that Bovell himself was victim of.
Suffer Sounds is a celebration of delightful lesser-known dub cuts, like ‘Game of Dubs’. Here, Janet Kay’s voice is stunningly reimagined by Bovell through his rearrangement, adding pitch alteration and cosmic reverb, maintaining the sensual nature of lovers rock hit ‘Silly Games’ on a bed of thunderous basslines. ‘Game of Dubs’ is a standout amongst standouts on Sufferer Sounds. The transcendent delay on Kay’s voice invites the listener to merely dance the night away.
A thrilling journey through a crucial five-year period in Bovell’s life, Sufferer Sounds offers up cuts of incredible nuance, serving as yet another example of the producer’s mastery in a craft where he stands amongst a very few who are guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of generations old and new.
